Here's One Way To Get Amazon Reviews
This e-mail flew in on Tuesday afternoon:
In a message dated 5/13/08 1:58:02 PM, wilsongeek@gmail.com writes:Hi,
As you may or may not know, I finished my first book in 2004.Healing The Unhappy Caveman: Why The Human Mind Was Not Designed For Happiness And What YOU Can Do About It
I spent two years blogging about the concept and trying to get a book deal, but the publishing industry and I never saw eye to eye on much of anything. Fortunately, one of the readers of my blog started his own publishing company, and he asked me to be one of his first authors. So...after what has seemed like an eternity, my book is finally out.
It is available on Amazon -
(deleted)You can also buy it on my website -
(deleted)...Now for the money - as you probably know, the key to kicking ass on Amazon is reviews. My book has only recently been added to their list, so I have no reviews. I need them, and I'm willing to pay to get them. I am NOT saying I am willing to pay for puff pieces. I'm talking real reviews - good or bad. One complication is that unless you've been a frequent reviewer at Amazon, they won't let you review a book you didn't buy from them. So, if you want to participate in this, you'll probably need to buy the book from Amazon. However, if you do, and you submit a review that gets posted - and it is clear that you actually read the book - I'll send you $50. I have $500 set aside to do this, so once it's gone, the deal is over. My preference is to pay through PayPal, but I'll send you a check via snail mail if that's what it takes. Just be sure to let me know you're submitting a review before it goes up.
I hope this note finds you well.
Warm regards,
Chris Wilson
Probably to be safe, he says, "I am NOT saying I am willing to pay for puff pieces. I'm talking real reviews - good or bad."
Yeah, I'm sure he sent that out to all the people who really despise his work. I believe I'm on his list because I once sent him a complimentary note about his blog.
I've thought about similar, and I think the only way to do this in anyway, if you're going to do this, is to send the money first so they get it without agreeing to either review what you want them to review and without agreeing to an outcome. But even that leads to obvious bias issues though perhaps not as severe a conflict of interest.
(I've often wanted to ask various name brand bloggers to review some other bloggers website or post and say, what do you see here, is it "A" as some people say, or "not A"....)
jerry at May 14, 2008 10:27 AM
Ick. I don't even want to read his blog.
Flynne at May 14, 2008 10:44 AM
Seems pretty up front to me. There's nothing to stop you from reviewing his book and either returning the $50 or donating it to charity. Of course, you must state in the review what you did with the $50.
Norman at May 16, 2008 2:00 AM
I thought sales drove Amazon rankings.
david at May 17, 2008 8:10 AM
But if I hired a PR agency for $2000/month to persuade "professional" reviewers via dinners and gifts, no eyebrows would be raised, right? Do I detect a turning up of the nose? Et tu Amy.
Truth told, the list was probably 100 people long - mostly folks who signed up to be notified through my blog. Total payout - $100. Nobody reads anymore. Not even things they've expressed an interest in. Not even for money. Amazing.
Chris Wilson at January 13, 2009 10:33 AM
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